Gripping attachment for boots



Jan. 18, 1966 G. ADAMS 3,229,389

GRIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR BOQTS Filed Aug. 10, 1964 INVENTOR. 6:0R6E ,40/1/145 BY AOA/f! 72/7 7 United States Patent 3,229,389 GRIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR BOOTS George Adams, 1121 E. D St., San Bernardino, Calif. Filed Aug. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 388,410 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-7.6)

This invention relates to quick detachable boot heel and sole grippers that are interconnectable and associated in an adjustable manner.

One of the main objects of the invention is in the provision of a detachable boot heel gripper of special construction that can be associated if desired in an adjustable interconnected manner with a detachable sole gripper.

Ofiered initially to hunters, mountain climbers and the outdoors fraternity, it was soon found that the use of the quick detachable foot secure grippers had spread to telephone, oil, electric and other corporations, the forestry service, police officers, the service branches of the United States and others.

The present invention is directed to certain modifications of a gripping surface, and also to an adjustable, interconnected sole gripper that may be quickly attached to the shoe and secured to the heel portion for additional gripping surface in very rugged terrain.

Another object of the invention is to provide additional special gripping elements on the heel plate.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a quickly attachable sole gripper that is interconnectable in an adjustable manner with the heel plate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a special arrangement of the spikes or cleats on the heel or sole plate to increase gripping and non-slip performance.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view in partial perspective, of the heel and sole grippers in useful position;

FIGURE 2 is a lower elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a lower elevational view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE '7 is a view taken on the line 77 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on the line 88 of FIG- URE 5; and

FIGURE 9 is a view taken on the line 99 of FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the heel gripping device includes a completely enveloping flexible heel and shoe portion 10 having an attachable strap 12 over the shoe S. The lower edge 14 of the flexible portion 10 is riveted at spaced points 16 entirely around a heel plate 18. The heel plate 18 has plural spaced flat groundengaging sharp cleats or spikes 20. The construction heretofore described follows generally the disclosure in applicants prior application Serial No. 205,912, filed on June 12, 1962, now abandoned.

3,229,389 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 Heel plate 18 has an upstanding rear heel engaging lug 22 that is riveted to the flexible portion 10 at 24. An additional rear cleat 26 riveted or otherwise secured to the heel plate at points 28 has longer spikes 30 with flat sides that attack the ground in a thin, knife-like manner. It is obvious that most of the shorter spikes on the heel plate 18 are actual ground grippers while the spikes 30 are longer and provide initial piercing, supplemental elements at the forward end of the plate 18, a second similar cleat 32 being riveted or otherwise attached thereto at 34. The cleat 32 has similar longer, sharp spikes 36 at the edge of the plate attacking the ground in a streamlined manner. The forward edge of the plate 18 has an angularly upturned edge 38 with a strap-attaching open inset portion 40 struck therefrom. The rectangular, open inset 40 has an intermediate strap hook 42 rising therein from the edge 38.

A separate shoe-attachable and interconnected sole gripping plate 44 has similar plural spaced spikes 46 struck downwardly therefrom. The plate 44 has a toe strap 48 riveted at 50 to either side thereof as shown in FIGURE 6. The plate 44 has a supplemental forward cleat 52 riveted at 54 thereto in such manner that the longer, knife-like spikes 56 project therefrom in a streamlined ground engaging manner, rather than flatsides as occurs with the shorter spikes 46. A rear similar cleat 58 having longer spikes 69 is riveted to the sole plate 44.

An interconnecting flexible strap 62 is riveted at 64 to the rear edge of the sole plate 44. The strap 62 is insertable in the open inset portion 40 and is adjustable with the heel plate by means of plural holes 66 that are engageable by the book 42.

The operation of the device is simple. The heel gripping portion may be used alone or it may be connected to the sole plate if additional gripping surface is required. The attachment of the toe gripper is quickly made and the connecting strap 62 is properly adjusted on the heel hook 42. The two units are fixedly secured to the boot or shoe and the additional knife-like and streamlined ground engaging spikes provide additional ground piercing and holding members that permit better performance of the flat shorter spikes on the plates.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scope of the invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A non-slipping boot attachment, comprising:

a metal heel plate having a plurality of laterally disposed depending ground gripping spikes, several longer spikes on the sides thereof disposed in a lengthwise knife edge manner, and an upturned forward heel supporting flange, said supporting flange being notched laterally with an upstanding intermediate book;

a flexible member attached to the heel plate and adapted to completely surround the boot heel and boot heel means for detachable securing the flexible member across the boot instep;

a metal sole plate having a plurality of laterally disposed depending ground gripping spikes and several lengthwise knife edge manner; longer spikes on the sides thereof disposed in aa flexible boot toe surrounding member attached to the sole plate; and a plural apertured strap secured to the sole plate and adjustably attached to the heel plate by slideable connection through said lateral slot and hook on the heel supporting forward flange.

7 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,469,619 10/1923 Byrd 367.6

King 367.6 Fagelson 367.6 Smith 3662 Young 367.6 Morris 367.6 Fradette 367.6

FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland.

0 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK I. COHEN, Examiner. 

